Archive for January, 2015

As i have listened to, read and studied Kisses From Katie i was challenged as part of my fearless moral inventory to consider what i have to offer others… yet seldom, if at all do. Oh i’m great when it comes to giving financially and even time wise but not in the way that these scriptures outline. This was made even clearer to me yesterday as i met with some people to help them with a matter. i could tell that they were not themselves yet, i asked no questions and offered nothing. Today i had to call them and apologize for not grabbing their hand and pulling them to their feet.

Exodus 17:12But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Deuteronomy 15:11For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Matthew 5:16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:42Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Matthew 10:5Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

Matthew 25:35-40For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Luke 3:10-11And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

Luke 12:33-34Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you…”

James 1:17 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

James 2:14-17What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

1 John 3:17But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

1 John 4:19-20We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Acts 20:35-38In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Romans 12:13Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Romans 15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Galatians 6:2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:28Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

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She got off the stool, picked up the cake, and carrying it like it was the Holy Grail, walked slowly toward the door. As we all just stood there motionless, she left.

When the door closed, there was a stunned silence in the place. Not knowing what else to do, I broke the silence by saying, “What do you say we pray?”

Looking back on it now, it seems more than strange for a sociologist to be leading a prayer meeting with a bunch of prostitutes in a diner in Honolulu at 3:30 in the morning. But then it just felt like the right thing to do. I prayed for Agnes. I prayed for her salvation. I prayed that her life would be changed and that God would be good to her.

When I finished, Harry leaned over the counter and with a trace of hostility in his voice, he said, “Hey! You never told me you were a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to?” In one of those moments when just the right words came, I answered, “I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for whores at 3:30 in the morning.”

Harry waited a moment and then almost sneered as he answered, “No you don’t. There’s no church like that. If there was, I’d join it. I’d join a church like that!”

Wouldn’t we all? Wouldn’t we all like to join a church that throws birthday parties for whores at 3:30 in the morning?

Well, that’s the kind of church that Jesus came to create!

The question that’s begging to be asked is… would we… ALL?

i could do what Tony did a whole lot easier that what Katie does. That is if i would have been listening closely enough to what was going on around me instead of being consumed with what i was doing. That is if i was moved to do something about it. There’s a book called The Heart Reader that fits in here so well. i’ll bet i’ve read it a dozen times and immediately after reading it my attention is focused on the people around me but… i have never been moved enough to act on what i hear and within days i forget all about it. Time to read it again.

Let me share one last story to try and bring this all together.

One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting. At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look here.” He looked up, expecting to get something from them.

Peter said, “I don’t have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked.

Jesus taught the disciples what was of real value. Katie did what the disciples did and said to Uganda “I don’t have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you!” Then she grabbed them one child a time, one need at a time and pulled them up. The love of God flowing through her was all they needed. She changed Uganda one life at a time and as she “so loved” others jumped up to their feet and walked.

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Yesterday i left off with… “Because I heard her say that tomorrow is her birthday,” I told him. “What do you say you and I do something about that? What do you think about us throwing a birthday party for her—right here—tomorrow night?”

A cute smile slowly crossed his chubby cheeks, and he answered with measured delight, “That’s great! I like it! That’s a great idea!” Calling to his wife, who did the cooking in the back room, he shouted, “Hey! Come out here! This guy’s got a great idea. Tomorrow’s Agnes’s birthday. This guy wants us to go in with him and throw a birthday party for her—right here—tomorrow night!”

His wife came out of the back room all bright and smiley. She said, “That’s wonderful! You know Agnes is one of those people who is really nice and kind, and nobody does anything nice and kind for her.”

“Look,” I told them, “if it’s okay with you, I’ll get back here tomorrow morning about 2:30 and decorate the place. I’ll even get a birthday cake!”

At 2:30 the next morning, I was back at the diner. I had picked up some crepe-paper decorations at the store and had made a sign out of big pieces of cardboard that read, “Happy Birthday, Agnes!” I decorated the diner from one end to the other. I had that diner looking good.

The woman who did the cooking must have gotten the word out on the street, because by 3:15 every prostitute in Honolulu was in the place. It was wall-to-wall prostitutes and me!

At 3:30 on the dot, the door of the diner swung open, and in came Agnes and her friend. I had everybody ready (after all, I was kind of the M.C. of the affair) and when they came in we all screamed, “Happy birthday!”

Never have I seen a person so flabbergasted so stunned so shaken. Her mouth fell open. Her legs seemed to buckle a bit. Her friend grabbed her arm to steady her. As she was led to sit on one of the stools along the counter, we all sang “Happy Birthday”‘ to her. As we came to the end of our singing with “happy birthday, dear Agnes, happy birthday to you,” her eyes moistened. Then, when the birthday cake with all the candles on it was carried out, she lost it and just openly cried.

Harry gruffly mumbled, “Blow out the candles, Agnes! Come on! Blow out the candles! If you don’t blow out the candles, I’m gonna hafta blow out the candles.” And, after an endless few seconds, he did. Then he handed her a knife and told her, “Cut the cake, Agnes. Yo, Agnes, we all want some cake.”

Agnes looked down at the cake. Then without taking her eyes off it, she slowly and softly said, “Look, Harry, is it all right with you if I mean is it okay if I kind of what I want to ask you is is it O.K. if I keep the cake a little while? I mean, is it all right if we don’t eat it right away?”

Harry shrugged and answered, “Sure! It’s O.K. If you want to keep the cake, keep the cake. Take it home, if you want to.”

“Can I?” she asked. Then, looking at me, she said, “I live just down the street a couple of doors. I want to take the cake home, okay? I’ll be right back. Honest!”

She got off the stool, picked up the cake, and carrying it like it was the Holy Grail, walked slowly toward the door. As we all just stood there motionless, she left.

When the door closed, there was a stunned silence in the place.

The rest of the story tomorrow!

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This week i am closing out the Revealed series which has been about the personal things that God revealed to me through this unlikely book. Unlikely in that i would never have picked up from the shelf let alone buy. it. Unlikely in that it caused me to take a fearless moral inventory of my life at the end of 2014. Unlikely in that a group of us were so moved by the “between the lines” messages that we are meeting every Monday to share what God reveals to us in each chapter.

There is no doubt in my mind that Katie has the greatest capacity to love of anyone i have ever meet. Her relentless love makes me look like a hater. i’m not… i’m just sayin. i know that i could not or would not do what Katie has done and continues to do. But i also know that my views on love have been changed.

So this week i would like to look at a couple of stories outside of Kisses From Katie.

The first is about a man by the name of Tony Campolo . In his book The Kingdom of God Is a Party, Tony relates an experience he had late one night in Hawaii.

Up a side street I found a little place that was still open. I went in, took a seat on one of the stools at the counter, and waited to be served. This was one of those sleazy places that deserves the name, “greasy spoon.” I did not even touch the menu. I was afraid that if I opened the thing something gruesome would crawl out. But it was the only place I could find.

The fat guy behind the counter came over and asked me, “What d’ya want?”

I said I wanted a cup of coffee and a donut.

He poured a cup of coffee, wiped his grimy hand on his smudged apron, and then he grabbed a donut off the shelf behind him. I’m a realist. I know that in the back room of that restaurant, donuts are probably dropped on the floor and kicked around. But when everything is out front where I could see it, I really would have appreciated it if he had used a pair of tongs and placed the donut on some wax paper.

As I sat there munching on my donut and sipping my coffee at 3:30 in the morning, the door of the diner suddenly swung open and, to my discomfort, in marched eight or nine provocative and boisterous prostitutes.

It was a small place, and they sat on either side of me. Their talk was loud and crude. I felt completely out-of-place and was just about to make my getaway when I overheard the woman beside me say, “Tomorrow’s my birthday. I’m going to be 39.”

Her “friend” responded in a nasty tone, “So what do you want from me? A birthday party? What do you want? Ya want me to get you a cake and sing ‘Happy Birthday’?”

“Come on,” said the woman sitting next to me. “Why do you have to be so mean? I was just telling you, that’s all. Why do you have to put me down? I was just telling you it was my birthday. I don’t want anything from you. I mean, why should you give me a birthday party? I’ve never had a birthday party in my whole life. Why should I have one now?”

When I heard that, I made a decision. I sat and waited until the women had left. Then I called over the fat guy behind the counter, and I asked him, “Do they come in here every night?”

“Because I heard her say that tomorrow is her birthday,” I told him. “What do you say you and I do something about that? What do you think about us throwing a birthday party for her—right here—tomorrow night?”

You’ll have to come back tomorrow for more of the story.

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Before i begin. WordPress updated their app telling Podcaster that it wouldn’t affect them but it did so Podcaster had to update their app and now it must be approved by iTunes, 10 to 14 days they say and then i’ll go back to podcasting each post. Thanks for your patience.

At the close of Chapter 12 Katie shares her heart and reminds me of some basic truths that i already know but sometimes they get buried in the routine of the days i live. She says, “Here is the thing: I want big things from God. (me too) We want big things from God (me too) and then think it’s strange when He asks us to build an ark, or feed five thousand or march around a building for seven days with seven priests blowing trumpets made from rams’ horns (me too). I am asking for big things from God. Big things like a van I can take my whole family to church in and a house with ten showers. Bigger things like 147 million orphaned children in the world to each have a mommy who knows what they like for dinner. So really, I am not surprised at the craziness of my life. Every morning, as I wake up with some impossible task in front of me, I know that God will meet it with impossible strength and love. I serve the God who used Moses, a murderer, to part the Red Sea; a God who let Peter, who would deny Him, walk on water. A God who looks at me, in all my fallen weakness and says, “You can do the impossible.”

What does Doing the Impossible really mean? It means that i have a desire to achieve greatness and am ready to take the steps to turn that desire into a reality. when taking on the task of Doing the Impossible you will experience different reactions – excitement, curiosity, joy, laughter, or even tears. i’ll bet that Katie’s goal in sharing her story is to encourage and challenge people to make a decision to do the impossible. That most likely will have a totally different look to you than it did for Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, or any of the other great men of history that we look at. The goal of this post is to help you realize that you have the capacity to do what the critics think is impossible.

If i want to do the impossible i need to remember the words of Deuteronomy 31:6 where God says, “It’s okay to be human. I created you, I understand. Do not be afraid; do not be terrified. I am the LORD your God and I will go with you wherever you go. I will never leave nor forsake you.

Then in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 God says, “Remember that my Word says you would be hard-pressed on every side, but never crushed; perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but never abandoned, discouraged but never destroyed.

Are you as encouraged as i am right now?

Then how about James 1:2-4 “Sometimes I test your faith, because it develops perseverance in you, which you need to be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.

That’s more of a when that an if i assure you. And lastly how about these words from John 16:33 “In the world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.

If your going to take on doing the impossible then you need to familiarize yourself with the following words which Paul shares in 2 Corinthians 6:2-10

Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing. Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details.

People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy ; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.

In closing “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving me, your Father. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Continue to offer my hospitality to people in need and let me take care of the rest (Romans 12: 11– 13).

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Sorry the app for podcasting is malfunctioning and still not repaired.

Katie states that sometimes it’s much harder to embrace the fact that God is in control when you are the one with the terrible diagnosis, the empty bank account, no job, the drug-addicted son or daughter, or all your children and the ministry you love are in Africa while you are in America. I had to tell myself over and over again, “God is really in control.”

How many times i must remind myself of that fact is an infinite number. That’s because i just don’t understand how God works and therefore i have difficulty believing that some of the things i see and hear about are in any way God in control. This is despite the fact that i can not recall one single time where God failed to provide exactly what i needed. Now that doesn’t mean that God has done everything my way or provided as i planned it out. In fact it’s quite the opposite. Why then do i even consider the idea that He would fail me now? Why do i try to fill God’s shoes?

The answer is simple. It’s usually because “i” become so concerned about how “i” will provide or accomplish something that “i” forget that i’m not the one who is supposed to do it. i get so focused so busy working to do it, that i even forget to ask God about it or for it. It’s a good thing so it must be a God thing… right? Possibly but not necessarily.

If i forget or neglect to ask God to heal me, to fill me, to guide me, what can i expect? Now that i have a marketplace job i have to be intentional, set aside “time to pray” in the morning, through-out the day and at night instead of being in constant communication with Him any time i wanted. When we had the Onething Campus we were completely dependent on God for everything all the time.

Let me begin to close with a story from Luke 5. “Now it occurred that while the people pressed upon Jesus to hear the message of God, He was standing by the Sea of Galilee. And He saw two boats drawn up by the lake, but the fishermen had gone down from them and were washing their nets.” (Meaning they were cleaning up to go home).

And getting into one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon Peter, (Which by the way He was not invited to do so) He requested him to draw away a little from the shore. Then He sat down and continued to teach the crowd of people from the boat.

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon Peter, Put out into the deep water, and lower your nets for a haul.

And Simon Peter answered, (Seriously?) Master, we toiled all night exhaustingly and caught nothing in our nets. (Then Peter says, i don’t understand, i don’t get it, this is my boat and i’m the expert at fishing) But on the ground of Your word, I will lower the nets again.

The result… And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish; and as their nets were at the point of breaking, they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and take hold with them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

This is where i close today i am not Peter telling Jesus to depart from me. i am ed saying “O’ Lord while i am a sinful man… please don’t ever leave me!

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This book came at a perfect time with regards to Katie’s next words. “I made peace with feeling inadequate because the truth is, I was. I still am; we all are. I quickly became okay with being imperfect.”

i have never thought i was perfect, but i also have never felt inadequate. i have no clue as to why i feel way as i have exceeded the goals and expectations set for me by me employeer but i’m struggling inside. And it’s not just the workplace where this happens, it can be while watching a movie or talking on the phone. A few days ago a friend had to have some surgery and it took longer than it was supposed to and when i heard that, while still trusting God i battled with fear for her life and her husband’s condition, wishing i could be there for them. But i can’t! i have a job in the marketplace which dictates my schedule and thus what i can and can not do. my heart is fully aware of who i am in Christ and that i can do all things through Him and yet my physical body just doesn’t line up with what i know. i am a very easy-going person, it takes a lot to get me stirred up but these days… the slightest thing can cause my heart to race and my emotions to jump into action. Katie talks about feeling inadequate and when i started my new job it didn’t take but a few hours and i was having to quickly become okay with being imperfect and feeling very inadequate.

i truly am puzzled by this. If i knew what the issue or the cause i’d fix it, but it ‘s like Paul when he prayed three times for God to remove the thorn in his flesh and God basically said no, deal with it. That’s where i’m at, dealing with it, yet feeling… no not feeling, knowing that i am closer to God than i have ever been despite all of this. To me it’s a well dressed lie and i am refusing to chase it.

i know that God has a track record of using inadequate people, Paul, Peter, Moses, Jonah, David, Sampson, the list is endless. i am so out of my element in so many places all at the same time. It seems that He is asking me to reach a little higher, to stretch a little further, in spite of feeling like i can’t do any more. All i can think of is that He’s looking for simple trust. Then, once He’ got it, He’ll give me everything i need to do the “more” that He is asking of me just like He’s always done.

Katie wraps up chapter 9 by stating that she is just a plain girl from Tennessee. Broken in many ways, sinful, and inadequate. Common and simple with nothing special about her. I’m so glad she added the following words to those thoughts. “Nothing special except I choose to say “yes.” “Yes” to the things of God.”

Ahhh! And that makes all the difference in the world. Katie is willing to do today what others will not and thus she is able to do tomorrow what others can not. i have included a link to a great song to bring life to her words. she has mastered the art of saying yes and doing so before she even knows the question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVYRc7LtvUA

i’m dr. ed peterson the host of me and I Am, thank you for joining me.

In chapter 8 Katie continues to share her story of relentless love and redemption while i continue to be amazed by what God is revealing to me from the book titled Kisses From Katie.

Katie takes a deep breath of the air that smells like what she can only describe as “Uganda” and let it fill her with the joy of being in the place God has called her. i had to wonder if i have ever been in such a place. Not Uganda but a place where the air filled me with the joy of being in God’s presence. my experiences with that have been limited to moments in times of worship but i desire to live in that place each and every day regardless of circumstances. With every breath joy and an overwhelming awareness that i am in God’s presence.

The second morning, Agnes looked at me and said, “There it is! It came back!” I asked her, groggily, “What came back?” With joy she could hardly contain , she replied, “That light that lives in your eyes!” I would imaging that being filled with the joy of being in the place where God has called would show in outward physical signs such as the eyes. What would it be like to have people see the presence of God on my life without speaking a word… to the point of saying “there it is! It came back!”

“In Uganda, as in all the nations of the earth, human beings are hungry for God; they long to live lives filled with purpose and love. They want to be able to support their families; they want to be able to work; they want to be able to give back and to be good, noble people. They want to feel important and needed and beautiful. Children want to play, eat, learn, and be loved. We are all the same. We do not live in different worlds; we live in the same world. People are people.” And this is where there is a great gap between Katie and i. It is a struggle for me to believe all of that about people. my experiences have led me to believe otherwise. i’m not saying that i’m right and she is wrong because Katie has much that i desire when it comes to God and relationships.

Katie says her life looks different than most because she made different choices than most. But making different choices didn’t make her superhuman. In fact, every day was filled with reminders, sometimes painful reminders, of her human emotions, human desires, and human limitations. That’s where i find myself in Chapter 8… filled with reminders. Not good reminders, not bad reminders but reminders of God’s grace with regards to my life.

In closing Katie talks about how often, as human beings , we are crippled by our fears. We are afraid of change, of loss, of being hurt. We cling so tightly to what we have because we are afraid of what would happen if we didn’t have these things anymore.

Every day, i have a choice. i can stay safe and let fear cripple me. Or i can take a risk, do something to help someone, change someone’s world.

Remember i shared about feeling old and used up and no more exciting that a cardboard box. Well i have a few thoughts. Katie shares at several points about the people of Uganda sleeping on old wet cardboard boxes. For them that box is useful. Then what parent hasn’t felt the frustration or the amazement of a child wanting to play with a plain old box in preference to all the toys they have. Lastly i am thankful for old cardboard boxes as my garage is lined on both sides with hundreds of dollars of stuff inside them. Well… i feel a little better but i think Katies remarks are still the way for me. “Lord, thank You that when i feel old and used up and broken and no more exciting than a cardboard box, You whisper that You love me and value me, and that in Your eyes, i am shiny and new.”

Katie in Chapter 7 reminded me of the story of The Velveteen Rabbit.

It begins with the rabbit, fluffy and beautiful, but all the rabbit wanted was to be real. The boy who owns the rabbit loves it to tatters; his velveteen fur becomes worn and his stuffing starts to come out. “So much love stirred in his little sawdust heart that it almost burst. And into his boot-button eyes, that had long ago lost their polish, there came a look of wisdom and beauty, so that even Nana noticed it next morning when she picked him up, and said, ‘I declare if that old Bunny hasn’t got quite a knowing expression!’ ” The boy loves the bunny “so hard” that he loves his whiskers off and the pink fur on his ears turns gray. After the boy contracts scarlet fever, the doctor says the beloved, worn-out rabbit has fever germs and must be discarded, so Nana throws him out. And only then, when he is tattered and ugly, does the fairy come and make him a real rabbit, all sparkly and new, who can run and play with other real rabbits.

Here’s what spoke to me. He wasn’t patched up or glued back together. No, he was transformed, made altogether new.

Who hasn’t been hurt and scarred and banged around a bit in the past year, but God uses all those things to help me and you to become real. Katie says, she was coming to understand that what it means to be real is to love and be loved until there is nothing left.

This book is causing me to see how completely different i am becoming and i’m not completely sure what i think about it or what to do with it.